Why Tequila Deserves Way More Respect

The U.S. may have celebrated National Tequila Day last week, but really any day is a good day to enjoy what may well be the finest spirit the Americas has to offer. While drinkers in the U.S. are getting more interested in the distillate of blue agave, it’s clear that tequila doesn’t quite enjoy the same golden reputation as the world’s other fine, barrel aged-spirits, like Scotch, cognac or even the more humble bourbon.

Here are a few of the reasons why tequila deserves a little more love:

There’s tequila, and then there’s <em>tequila</em>. What most Americans are familiar with is tequila mixto -- a blended product of at least 51 percent agave distillate and as much as 49 percent alcohol from some other source, generally distilled from sugar cane and tinted with caramel coloring. The tradition of accompanying tequila with a lick of salt and a chunk of lime likely evolved to soften the rough edges of tequila mixto.
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Much tequila mixto is harsh stuff that induces the nightmarish hangovers people unfairly associate with tequila. But well-made tequilas are just as fine as any other spirit the world has to offer. Look for "100 percent agave" written somewhere on the label, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/how-to-drink-tequila_n_5266915.html" target="_blank">check out this explainer</a> for some broad recommendations.